Timeless Lies
by Jessica Lauren
Summary: Sixth Year student, Hermione Granger is given a Time-Turner by Professor Snape. Little does she know that the device has been tampered with and therefore is sent to the seventies, with no way to return to her rightful time. Click for full summary.
1. Summary

Timeless Lies

**Summary:**

Sixth Year student, Hermione Granger is given a Time-Turner by Professor Snape. Little does she know that the device has been tampered with and therefore is sent to the seventies, with no way to return to her rightful time.

Severus Snape only held a friendship with Lily Potter and therefore never felt any love for her. When he meets the wonderful Hermione Granger his life changes for the better. But some friends are easier to lose than others, which is exactly what leads to both his, and Hermione's downfall.

Harry Potter has noticed Hermione Granger's somewhat absurd disappearance and is determined to find her. Snape is also acting suspicious and Harry reckons he has something to do with Hermione's disappearance. Will the chosen one manage to save her before it's too late?


	2. Beginnings

Severus Snape

11th September 1996

It is only a matter of days left now. Hours until that moment I have been waiting for since I was merely an adolescent child. I have left myself go since then. I have been deteriorating since her death. There is only so much death one man can take and I can no longer withstand it. But now, I have been blessed with a second chance. Oh sweet Merlin, thank you for this chance. I promise to you now that I will not waste it. Somehow, I will figure out how to change what happened for both my sake and hers.

My gaze was fixated on the clock mounted to the back wall of my classroom. How the seconds pass by so slowly when one wants them too. I have the clock mounted there for a reason. My students do not understand it, as they are too shallow minded to dig deep enough into their hollow heads to find their brains. All apart from one girl, who I am pretty sure understands it. Simply put, the clock is counting down until that day, that time when perhaps life will change.

"Sir."

My eyes flickered to the source of the voice and stared coldly at the girl who had interrupted my thought process. Earlier today, whilst my sixth year Defence Against the Dark Arts class continued to work on an essay that was worth five percent of this year's total mark, I was correcting fifth year mock OWL exams. Those fifth years are truly mentally retarded. Merlin knows where they learned half the stuff they wrote on that paper I set them on the first day back at school.

"What is it, Miss Granger?" I sighed and got to my feet. I shook my head slightly; the weariness washing over me as I glanced at the length of Hermione Granger's essay. I had clearly stated two feet of parchment, not triple the length. Did she not think I had anything better to do than grade her overly long and complicated essays? They are brilliant though, I must admit. Though, I wonder where she got her mind from, as I am sure her parents are only Muggle dentists. I suppose I cannot be a hypocrite. I too am brilliant and was brought up with a Muggle father.

Granger pointed to her textbook, as she rambled on about how the philosophy the author had written on Petrifaction was completely and utterly absurd, and should never have been written into a textbook. What did she want me to do about it? Rewrite the textbook? She could probably do better than I could.

"Write your own philosophy if it means so much to you, Miss Granger," I muttered.

"But sir!"

"'But sir' nothing, Miss Granger. You will do as I ask when I say so and you will keep your know-it-all questions to yourself. Understand?"

The girl nodded once curtly, obviously annoyed by my lack of guidance. I was her teacher and she, my pupil. It was supposed to me she came to when she had questions or she did not understand. Granger probably thought I was lousy teacher with only respect for myself. That was probably true. I hide behind my self respect and I prefer it that way.

Granger tucked a lock of curly caramel coloured hair behind her ears, her intelligent brown eyes skimming over the textbook once again as she sighed irritably. It is incredible how that once bushy haired bookworm has grown to be such a beautiful woman. Sixteen years old with the intelligence of a three hundred year old man; Dumbledore had laughed one evening while he and I were discussing her.

Potter on the other hand, was not so brilliant this afternoon. Ronald had 'misplaced' his textbook and moved to sit next to Potter, so they could share. Of course they did nothing other than whisper to each other and scribble along the margins of Potter's textbook. I decided that I would not interfere as I would be more than happy to take the five percent that this essay was worth off both of them.

The bell rung at exactly two o'clock screeching through the ears and into the minds of the barely awake students. Granger was packed up and out of her chair in a matter of seconds, ready to rush off to her next class. It was quite obvious that neither Ronald nor Potter had any classes left today and were ready to take an afternoon nap.

"Miss Granger," I called, keeping my monotone voice level. My fingers slipped across the silky old wood of my desk and rested on the knob of a small drawer. "I need to speak with you."

Granger's face contorted into one of confusion. I never had held her back behind class before, and both she and I knew it. She approached me quickly, physically trembling in anticipation to get to her next class.

I pulled open the drawer I had my hand on and pulled out a necklace. I held it out in front of her and she audibly gasped.

"It has come to my understanding that you previously possessed one of these and your permission to use one has not yet been outdated. For the time being, I would prefer if you kept this in your possession. My permission to use these has been terminated by the ministry therefore I would have to hand it in. This has been in my mother's family for generations and no one would ever suspect that I would give it you."

In reality, I did have permission to use a Time-Turner and it had never been in my mother's family. I had personally gone out and got this Time-Turner fixed for me.

"Are you sure, Professor?" she asked, unsure whether to take it or not.

I nodded once, "Of course I am, Miss Granger."

She took the chain the Time-Turner from my hand and held it in her fingers, inspecting the silver carefully. Her hand was soft against mine for that millisecond we touched. I almost sighed in relief as she touched me, but held it in for the sake of both mine and her sanity.

She mumbled a thank you and left the classroom, almost taking to a sprint. I smiled pitifully as she left. I had altered the Time-Turner myself. At exactly the clock on my wall reached its destination time, the Time-Turner would spin of its own accord. It would take her back to the time I first met her. If I had any respect for anyone apart from myself in my body, I probably would not have done this. But time is time, and it would happen no matter what I did.


	3. Monday, Monday

Hermione Granger

16th September 1996

Oh dear me, what a Monday it has been. The boys arranged a 'boycott' today. They have spent the whole day in bed because the Petrifaction essay was due and they have not even started it. They believe that three days was not enough time to finish a two foot essay. Snape was undoubtedly affronted by the boys' behaviour and told _me_ to tell them that they had detention every evening for the next month. Did I look like an owl to him or something?

They are still in bed now. They are pretty choked, right enough. Not only do they have to finish their essay for tomorrow, they also have achieved zero percent in the essay the have to hand in, no matter how brilliant or dull it was. I would have helped Ron, if he had asked me nicely. Of course all he did was tell me, as soon as the essay was set, 'do this for me 'Mione'. I was downright offended and slapped him with my book. I was pretty sure Snape saw me and I swore he smirked when I hit Ron.

I'm now sitting in front of the fire in the common room. I feel cosy here. There is nothing better than curling up in front of the fire with my diary and the sound of Neville Longbottom breathing from the other end of the room. I'm pretty sure he has a respiratory condition but I don't think he'd tell me if I asked him.

Snape gave me a Time-Turner of his on Friday. His license was outdated, I figured. Mine still had a few years on it; therefore I wouldn't get arrested by the Ministry. Though, why he didn't give it to McGonagall, I don't know. Well, I suppose you have to turn over your Time-Turner when your license was outdated or suspended until further notice. Snape probably had a fake one to hand over while I kept his and if the Ministry went to the staff, they couldn't say they had it. It's the perfect plan, really.

Saturday night was an eventful night. I really should not write this on paper and I should probably try to forget about it. Usually, we aren't allowed alcohol in Hogwarts. It's in the rules, as I have read them several hundred times. Ron had made up the excuse that it was the end of our first week back, and we should relax a little. After about ten shots of vodka and fire whiskey, I must admit I was bloody wrecked. I was slurring and stumbling, and walking into walls.

Then the most amazing idea came over me. Well, it seemed beyond amazing at the time. That we should play spin the bottle. So Ron downed the rest of the vodka and we used that as the bottle. After I watched Harry and Ron snog each other a few times, the game was growing boring and I asked them if we could pull more exciting dares. They agreed enthusiastically. So the bottle landed on me next. Merlin damn me for choosing dare.

Ron and Harry whispered for a bloody good five minutes before deciding on the perfect dare. That we should go down to the dungeons and that I should snog the face off the first man (or woman) I see. I now see my actions stupid and reckless, not to mention expulsion-worthy. We stumbled our way to the dungeons at midnight in our jammies, holding onto each other for dear life. I vaguely remember Ron, who kept grabbing my boobs for no reason whatsoever.

We laughed and we chuckled noisily down to the dungeons. I'm surprised now that we weren't caught on the way down to be honest. Even with Harry's cloak, it was still pretty obvious we were out of bed when we shouldn't have been. Of course no one was up and this was a complete waste of time. Until that is, we heard footsteps. Ron and Harry were suddenly sober enough and made a bolt for it. I on the other hand wanted to finish my dare as I was impossibly shallow minded when I was drunk.

I followed the echo of the footsteps in the darkness. I never thought about using my wand for light. Sometimes I wish I could have been a smart drunk, rather than a dim-witted one that ran right up to the stranger who too had been wandering the corridors at midnight. I shoved Harry's heavy cloak to the ground, and threw my arms around the neck of the tall man that stood before me. I couldn't see his face. I remember not even caring who it was. All I needed was him to kiss me and then I'd feel over the bloody moon.

My lips had searched blindly for his. I could feel him beneath my grasp, completely tensed because of my touch. Finally, I found them. They were soft with but a little rough in a good way, I guess. I could taste his breath on his lips as my tongue pushed itself forward, out of the barrier of my own mouth seeking new shores. His body relaxed somewhat as he pushed my hair gently behind my ear. He kissed me softly in return, not exactly the snog I was hoping for at the time, but all the same.

To my displeasure, it was then I woke up with a hangover as painful as having a baby. Well, I guessed it was. I knew that it wasn't a dream and my memories had been somewhat altered. I'm still trying to figure out which charm he used so I can reverse it. It wasn't your simple Memory Charm, so the spell to reverse its effect had not worked.

Anyway, I better stop wasting time and finish off on my Charms essay.


	4. Schemes

Severus Snape

19th September 1996

Oh what a fine night this will be. Not only is it dear Miss Granger's birthday, it is the day when my clock will finally chime. I need to work on my plans to change the past. The ministry will notice if I use my Time-Turner too often, so I must be extremely careful.

Primarily, I will steal the first letter Miss Bellatrix Black sent me before my younger self reads it. During the entire period of my sixth and seventh years, Bellatrix sent me many letters, all pestering me to join me _The Cause_, as she had put it. My younger self was fascinated by the idea of joining Lord Voldemort, therefore I replied to her letters. I was sick of being mistreated and bullied by James Potter and Sirius Black; I thought they deserved to feel the battering end of the stick for a change.

By stopping the first letter Bellatrix sent, I would therefore not reply and she then might not send me any other letters. Without those letters, my temptations to become a Death Eater may be lessened.

I have already made Dumbledore aware of what I shall be doing, though I was already correct in that he had already remembered my intentions. The only reason why I am at Hogwarts is because I wish to protect Miss Granger while she attends. I came to Dumbledore years ago, when I'd had enough of death. I told him my intentions and he said that I should remain a Death Eater, but only as a spy.

I walked to Dumbledore's office during my free period this morning before I was due to have my class of sixth years again. Though, I paused outside Horace Slughorn's classroom just for a matter of seconds to listen in on his teaching. I smirked as I realised that the second years were messing up their Swelling Solutions. Never in my teaching years had my second years' messed up such a simple potion.

Once I reached Dumbledore's office, I tried to relax myself slightly. My body was tense. What if Albus decided that it was wrong for me to mess with time? Of course, the practice itself is illegal, but Hermione Granger and Harry Potter had managed to get away with it in their third year. I had told Dumbledore that I only wanted to change time so I never became a Death Eater. He also knew that Hermione somehow managed to get herself stuck in the seventies, as he was Headmaster in Hogwarts at the time and Hermione had come to him for help.

The Time-Turner she had come to possess had completely malfunctioned and there was no way to fix it, as magic was not evolved enough back then to fix it. It is one of the unbreakable laws of time that one must use the Time-Turner they used to bring them back in time, to go forward again. There was no way she could get back to her right time again.

"Ah, Severus," Albus said, his voice unsurprised by my appearance. "Come and sit."

I walked forward and sat down on the seat in front of Albus. He stood up and walked over to the window. "I know why you're here."

"You cannot stop me now," I replied simply.

"I know that, Severus. But I believe you have lied about your intentions."

I swallowed then exhaled slowly to calm my nerves. Albus was much older and a much more powerful wizard than I could ever be. He could have killed me, to prevent me from taking this obsession to a much higher level.

"Not lied, Albus. I simply did not tell you all of my intentions."

"I see," Albus nodded once and peered at me through his half moon spectacles. "Will you tell me now? Or shall I tell you my theories?"

Indicating with my hand, I told him that he should continue.

He turned around to face the window again as he spoke, "Hermione Granger somehow managed to trap herself in nineteen seventy-five. Your sixteen year old self fell in love with Miss Granger. But because of the temptations to become a Death Eater, you became one; which is what I believe led to Miss Granger's death, as well as, Lily and James Potter's deaths too. Now you wish to correct your mistakes. You wish for Hermione to be here, right now as your lawful wedded wife, instead of your student. You wish to be a free man, instead of Lord Voldemort's Death Eater and my spy."

I wondered then if Albus knew _everything._

"Sir," I said quietly. "You are very much correct. My intention is to save Miss Granger from death and to stop myself from becoming a Death Eater."

Albus nodded once, clearly pleased with himself.

"If you never became a Death Eater, Severus, the Order of the Phoenix would never have become so strong without your inside information. We depend on you Severus."

In other words, Albus reckoned I was being selfish.

"I apologise for my selfishness, headmaster," I expressed. "It is just, I feel horribly guilty for what I have done in the past. You see, Hermione Granger's death was my _doing_."

Albus' eyes widened suddenly at my confession. He nodded slightly, indicating that I should continue.

I sighed and closed my eyes to stop myself from crying like a child. "As you probably already know, when the Dark Lord decides he wants one to be in his inner circle of Death Eaters, he will want them to prove themselves worthy. I told him of the prophecy and then he chose me to be one, under the condition that I must prove myself. He told me to murder Miss Granger, sir. He and Bellatrix provoked me over and over, using the Cruciatus Curse. I begged him to kill me, hoping he either would or, it would put him off _promoting _me. I was trying to make him think I was not worthy. Voldemort told me I was weak and needed to be taught a lesson for loving a Mudblood. He used the Imperius curse on me and used me to kill the girl."

Albus stared at me for a few silent moments before saying, "It is not your doing, Severus. You were cursed."

"My hand, my wand and my mouth are guilty of the crime it committed Albus. Imperius curse or not, he would still have made me do it. After that, he left with Bellatrix after that, leaving me with Granger's body. My body ached with loss and the pain of the torture. I was so close to killing myself. Until I realised that I had a second chance."

Albus smiled a little, "Second chance?"

I nodded, "Hermione had explained to me the moment she met me that she had been given a Time-Turner and something happened to it, bringing her back in time. She never really went into details however. I went back to my home and sought out her diary and the broken Time-Turner. Pages had been ripped from it, however. The pages ripped from it were the ones that had explained who had given her the Time-Turner, so I had no idea who or where she had gone the device from. After that, was when I came to you seeking protection."

Albus chuckled, "You were a mess Severus. You broke down before me, weeping over your loss. You were young, only twenty or so, so I recall. You became the Order's spy then."

I nodded again, slightly embarrassed because of my post-teenage breakdown. I was too young to become a teacher then, so I continued to work for Voldemort, but as an infiltrator. He marked me with his Dark Mark after the Granger girl's death. When the time of Voldemort's downfall came, I ran straight back to Dumbledore and he gave me post as Potion's Master seeming Slughorn wanted to retire. Then all I did was wait; becoming renowned as the grouchy Potion's Master with no respect for anyone apart from myself. I must admit that I did become fed up waiting after a while. I read Miss Granger's diary everyday.

Then the day came. September first nineteen ninety-one; Hermione Granger was called up to the front of the Grand Hall to be placed in Gryffindor. I felt my breath catch in my throat and Professor Flitwick looked up at me, wondering why I was so stunned by the presence of that young girl. I ignored him however. I barely recognised Hermione. Her hair looked almost unnaturally bushy and she resembled a chipmunk, with her insanely large front teeth. The first year was short and skinny, and looked like she should be in a Muggle primary school rather than Hogwarts.

Ever since then, I have protected her and her friends; one of which just so happens to be Harry Potter, son of man who I grew to hate in my adolescence and the woman I wasted my friendship with. After the first year I had her, her know-it-all attitude started to get to me. She was too childish for my liking. But I knew for a fact that her attitude would change. Of course it would. The girl I knew when I was sixteen was not the girl that knew me now.

After my visit with Albus, I returned to the dungeons and my sixth year class were mucking about. All except for Hermione who was intently reading over the textbook pages I had told them to write notes on for homework. They all silenced as I entered the class. Granger looked up at me, her eyes thankful that I was here to control the idiocy surrounding her. After scolding them repeatedly, I told them to skim over the next chapter as I got ready. I was planning on doing some practical work with them.

They had already done most of the work on the Unforgivable Curses in their forth year, but I was feeling particularly nasty and these are dangerous times, so they needed to be taught them regularly.

"Get off your bums and partner up," I said to the class, keeping my voice level and monotone. Seeming Draco Malfoy was absent from my class this morning, there were an odd number of students. The partner-less student just so happened to be Miss Granger. I wanted Mr Potter to partner with her, as Mr Weasley and he usually did not pay attention when they were together. I changed my mind and decided I would be her partner, after I was finished the first practical exercise.

"Now," I said and pointed my wand over the furniture and forced it to the sides of the classroom, so there was space to work. "We will be covering the Unforgivable Curses this morning."

My gaze flickered to Mr Potter who was smiling giddily Weasley. "And because Mr Potter seems to giddy about it, he will show us how to successfully perform the Imperius Curse."

Everyone always thinks that curse in particular is the easiest to perform. It is actually the hardest to be successful, as it is like tying strings around someone that simply _does not _want to be tied up.

Potter pointed his wand at Weasley and muttered "_Imperio_," under his breath.

Weasley suddenly got a very bubbly look on his face, indicating that he was under the spell. "What do I do now, sir?" Potter asked me curiously.

"What do you want to do with him, Potter?" I asked him, my arms folded and my eyebrows rose. "What if he is a Death Eater? Or what if he is your best friend in mortal danger? Will you have him throw himself off the Astronomy Tower? Or will you simply make him beat himself until he no longer remains conscious? You have total control of him, Potter. It is up to you. As for you Weasley, fight it off."

Weasley completely ignored me as he waddled out of class like a duck. The sound of pans and plates crashing to the floor then followed and Ronald returned, hitting himself over the face with a spoon. He still had that thoughtless expression on his face.

"Enough Potter," I said, annoyed by his foolishness. The rest of class however, found this amusing.

"Anyone care to demonstrate the Cruciatus Curse?" I offered with an obviously fake smile. Granger jumped a little in shock at my offer. Some of the dimwits in my house however, decided to be brave and stick their hand up. Neville Longbottom suddenly looked very green.

"Get your hands down," I muttered and moved so I was behind my desk.

"There are no magical ways to prevent the Unforgivable Curses," I explained. "But if you move fast enough, or use a physical object to protect you, then you will not be affected by it. Summon yourselves an object that you think will protect you and get into a line. Once you are ready, I will cast a curse at you, and you will shield yourself. Then you will throw your returning curse at me."

Each of them was a nervous as they muttered '_accio_'. It was only to be expected. They did not know which Unforgivable Curse I would use against them. Though, Potter had survived the Killing Curse on several occasions and I was willing to try it out myself. I wasn't going to kill him though; just aim it at his chosen shield and shoot. Hermione had not muttered her incantation but her chosen object rushed throw the door and into the room. It was one of the shields off the knights standing in the corridors.

She was the first in the line. She stood in front of me, trembling slightly. I stared at her coldly, but it was a mask. I loved her. My heart yearned for her. And tonight, she would be mine. The Time-Turner she wore around her neck would spin and she would never come back to this time again.

I picked up one of the student's chairs and set it beside me, my chosen object for protection. I pointed my wand at Hermione's shield and said, "Imperio." She ducked underneath it quickly and the spell hit off the shield before the sparks disappeared. Hermione stood up again, a little shaky and clearly said, "Crucio!"

Suddenly, I did not want to shield myself. I wanted to feel her wrath. And it hit me, like fire slowly burning my skin and knives boring deep into my nerves. I felt myself topple over and hit the floor, and it only increased the pain. My body spasmed beneath her wand. I had felt worse, this was nowhere near the pain Voldemort and Bellatrix could cause. Somewhere deep inside me, I knew that this pain was good. I deserved to feel this pain, the hate that she felt for me. Somewhere in me, it felt good.

And then the pain was gone, but I could still feel its effects in my muscles. I was cramping and, Merlin, it hurt.

I sensed the presence of the class around me. They were afraid to get too close. Hermione was the only one who kneeled down beside me, laid her hand on my hair and whispered, "Are you okay, sir? I am so sorry, Professor!" I could hear in her voice that she was crying. "Harry! Get a teacher!"

I chuckled a little at the words she spoke and smiled up at her. I whispered, "Oh dear girl, how I deserve to feel your wrath."


	5. 1975

Hermione Granger

20th September 1975

It's my birthday. This isn't how I imagined celebrating it. First of all, I cursed Professor Snape, which was awful. We were practicing Unforgivable Curses and I just wanted to get it over and done with. So, seeming I was ready, I went first. He used the Imperius Curse on me, which probably would not have hurt me but I ducked behind the shield I had summoned anyway. I was feeling angry this morning. Not only was Won-Won and Lavender Brown being particularly cuddly and annoying, but the class was somewhat unsettled, especially when Snape was absent for the first ten minutes.

Due to my anger, I used the Cruciatus Curse on Snape. I honestly expected him to pick up the chair beside him and dodge my curse. He was our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher! He probably had more than enough experience! But no! The spell hit him square on the bloody chest and he fell back. I watched his body spasm beneath me. But, I felt powerful. I felt like I was in control. For half a second, it felt good knowing that I was in complete control. That was before reality hit me and I quickly lowered my wand, breaking the connection between Snape and I.

The class gasped and encircled Snape. I pushed through them and fell to my knees at Snape's head. I didn't know what to do. Tears were rushing down my cheeks and my hand fell to the back of his head.

"Are you okay, sir? I am so sorry, Professor!" I gasped through my tears and turned my gaze to Harry, who was unsure whether to look happy or startled. "Harry! Get a teacher!"

He nodded quickly and he and Ron ran off to get one. My eyes returned to Snape who was chuckling. I suddenly thought I'd driven him into insanity. More tears ran down my cheeks at the thought. I felt physically sick.

Snape whispered to me, "Oh dear girl, how I deserved to feel your wrath."

I doubted anyone else could hear him over the chatter. I was confused by his words, but I'm sure that he was just crazy-talking. He will be okay. He is under Madam Pomfrey's care now.

Once classes were over today, I went up to the Hospital Wing and I was planning on spending the night there. Professor McGonagall said that Snape will be fine and that he would decide the fitting punishment. I agreed with her. The least I could do was sit with him until he woke up.

He looked kind of peaceful as he slept. Snape always had a somewhat tortured expression plastered on his face and these cold eyes that just don't seem natural. During sleep, the expression was lost and his features were considerably natural looking. Though a lock of greasy hair was sticking to his face and it was quite repugnant. He really needed to understand that Muggles have invented a kind of shampoo specially designed for greasy hair. I wondered if I snuck some into his chambers, if he would notice and use it.

"You should go to bed dear," Madam Pomfrey said to me at about five to twelve.

I shook my head, "I'd rather not, if that is okay. I'm still feeling incredibly guilty."

She shook her head at me, "Well, you can't sit there all night. At least sleep in one of cots."

I guess Madam Pomfrey was just being nice because that doesn't happen often. Though, I was sure Harry would probably eat me in the morning for spending the night with Snape. Oh good God, that sounds so wrong.

Just before I got up to lie down on the other cot, Snape's hand snapped out from under the sheets to grab my wrist. I jumped slightly in shock. His hands were clammy, but that was the least of my problems.

"_Grab that now_," he hissed and his eyes flickered to my diary sitting on top of the cabinet next to his cot. I stared at him confused but grabbed the book anyway. My eyes moved to the clock. One minute to twelve.

The Time-Turner around my neck started to spin of its own accord. I sat and watched as time moved back right in front of my eyes. I even saw Harry in the Hospital Wing in first year. I closed my eyes for the rest. I felt sick. What the hell was happening? Why did Snape give me a faulty Time-Turner? I wondered why I was even wearing the thing. I should have just put it in one of my drawers.

And then everything stopped.

I opened my eyes and glanced around me. The Hospital Wing was empty, and more old fashioned looking. Madam Pomfrey was no where to be seen. I stuck my diary under my arm and held the Time—Turner between my fingers. I didn't know how many times to spin it, so I span it twice to see if it was working. It wasn't.

Bad things happen to Wizards that mess with time, I thought. That was undeniably true. The only way to get back to my time is to use the same Time-Turner that brought me back. But now, it is broken. And I'm hopelessly stuck.

I shoved the stupid bloody Time-Turner underneath my shirt and put the diary in the pocket of my robes. It wouldn't matter if anyone saw me. No one knew me here and I didn't know anyone. So I walked out of the Hospital Wing, and headed for the Headmaster's office. I hoped to God that Dumbledore was the current Headmaster. At least he would be the one familiar face in this unfamiliar place.

One thing I didn't think of, of course, was that Dumbledore's office is password protected. I tried the current one from my time, but it didn't work.

"Girl!" I heard someone shout. I jumped in shock. I just wanted to burst out into tears. A younger looking McGonagall approached me with a confused expression on her face. She scrutinised me from head to toe, after taking in the symbol of Gryffindor on my robes. "You are in my house but I don't recall your face. Who are you again?"

"Hermione Granger, miss," I said, mild hysteria in my tone. "I need to see the Headmaster, ma'am."

McGonagall's eyebrows furrowed, "I don't think I remember you at all, Miss Granger. Where did you get that uniform and how did you get into this castle?"

Then I started to cry. I couldn't take it anymore. No one knew me. "I'm from the future, miss. I was given a faulty Time-Turner and it span of its own accord! Now, it won't work and I've got no way of getting back!"

McGonagall watched me cry with a bewildered look on her face. She didn't know what to do. So, she turned to the statue and said in a clear voice, "Frogs Chocolate."

The statue rotated and stairs appeared. McGonagall walked up first and I followed closely behind her.

The first thing I noticed was that the office had not changed over the years. Everything still remained in its place. Dumbledore was standing, talking to a young man with shoulder length black hair while Fawkes slept peacefully on his perch. My eyes were still slightly blurred with tears as I glanced around the room.

"You say that Sirius Black did what exactly?" Dumbledore asked him. I almost gasped when I recognised the name.

"He forced me down to the Shrieking Shack after Remus Lupin," the boy mumbled.

"And James Potter managed to stop you because the joke was life threatening, yes?"

The boy nodded once, "Remus Lupin is a werewolf sir."

"James Potter told you this?"

"Yes."

"Well, you may go. I will speak to James, Sirius and Remus in the morning."

"Yes sir," the boy said and turned around. I almost gasped as I recognised him. It was Professor Snape. He was much younger; only sixteen or so. He looked healthier than he did when I last saw him, which was twenty years later or so. His hair wasn't greasy and his teeth weren't crooked or yellow. His skin was still pale and his hair was still jet black, but he definitely looked _nicer._

"Headmaster," McGonagall said quietly when Snape had left. Dumbledore looked from me to her.

"Yes Minerva? Who is this?" He replied curiously and gazed at me through his half moon spectacles. Time had not changed him much over the years either.

"This girl tells me she is from the future, Albus. She says that her Time-Turner malfunctioned and it span of its own accord, bringing her here."

"I presume you have a license, Miss?"

"Hermione Granger, sir," I spoke quietly. "Yes, of course I have a license, just not with me."

Dumbledore shrugged and smiled, "Of course you don't as you did not expect to come here in the first place." He paused for a moment and just stared at me, "Well, let me see this Time-Turner. What time are you from exactly?"

I pulled the Time-Turner from around my neck and handed it to him. "Um," I stuttered, wiping the tears from my eyes. "It was my birthday, the nineteenth of September, nineteen ninety-six."

Dumbledore's eyes widened as he stared at the Time-Turner, "Twenty-one years. Miss Granger, you're a long way from home. This Time-Turner has been tampered with and set so one cannot go forward. I'm afraid you are stuck here, Miss Granger. Someone _wanted_ to trap you here; a very powerful wizard, if I do say so myself."

I gasped and I felt the tears coming around again.

"Who gave you this?" Dumbledore asked me as he held it in front of me.

I gulped. I really did not know what to say. Snape attended school here and I really didn't want to be responsible for messing up time. "I was given it, in third year," I lied, as I had handed my third year Time-Turner in. It had been too stressful, with all those extra subjects. "I took it off only once and I put it back on the other day. Someone must have taken it from my belongings and tampered with it, sir."

Dumbledore nodded once, seemingly oblivious to my lies, "Well, Minerva, would you be so kind and escort Miss Granger to one of the spare chambers? It is late and we will discuss what is going to happen in the morning."

Once I was alone in a room the same size a broom cupboard, I cried and I cried some more. I'm still crying now and it is half past four in the morning. I want to go home. Why did Snape give me that bloody faulty Time-Turner? Did he know that the thing was tampered with? Or was he the one who doctored it? Why would he do that?

I'm stuck in the seventies. I want to talk to Snape… young Snape. No, I want to talk to Severus, the boy that had smiled at me when walking out of Dumbledore's office. I'm pretty sure Harry would love to be in my position at the minute. His parents are alive and well. James Potter and Sirius Black are alive, and together they are bullying Snape. I remember Harry telling me something about that last year, when he and Snape were practicing Occlumency.

I suppose I might as well try to sleep now. God knows what's going to happen today.


End file.
